Identifying the symptoms of menopause

Over a lifetime, every woman will be affected by menopause in some way. A woman can and will experience symptoms or other physical changes within their body.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

In the months or years leading up to menopause (perimenopause), a woman might experience the following signs and symptoms:

• Irregular periods
• Hot flushes
• Night sweats
• Dry skin
• Sleep problems
• Pains in joints and tiredness
• Mood changes
• Overactive bladder and discomfort
• Chills
• Weight gain and slowed metabolism
• Thinning hair
• Loss of breast fullness

Menopause will occur for a woman when they have not had a menstrual period for 12 months. Importantly, in Australia, menopause is a natural part of life occurring at around age 51 years of age. When reaching menopause, a woman stops producing oestrogen (the main sex hormone in women) and this can start to produce menopausal symptoms. In all women, Oestrogen levels can vary in the time leading up to the final menstrual period (called the perimenopause).

Early symptoms - change in menstrual periods    

Menopausal symptoms often start before periods stop. Researchers indicate that women have a change in their menstrual cycle (period) before their periods stop. Women should see their healthcare professional if periods become heavy or more frequent.

Hot flushes and night sweats  

Hot flushes and night sweats can range from mild to quite severe. Some women find these symptoms disturb their sleep. Many women may even need to change the sheets during the night because of heavy sweating.

Dry skin

With the loss of collagen during menopause, a woman’s skin can become significantly drier. This can mean an increase in facial lines and discolouration. In adapting to this change in their skin, women can turn to using a high-performance firming cream in order to maintain suppleness of their skin and minimise the signs of aging.

Problems sleeping  

Some women have problems sleeping even if they don’t have hot flushes and night sweats.  Changing hormone levels can affect a woman’s body clock or make it more difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. This can happen especially if a woman has other conditions that affect sleep – for example, pain, snoring or if alcohol or caffeine have been consumed before bed.

Pain in joints and tiredness 

Clinical studies suggest that the hormonal changes of menopause can cause some women to feel pain in their joints or make them feel more tired than usual.

Anxiety or mood changes

Importantly, most of us feel anxious at times, but women may find that things which can usually be coped with can make them feel overwhelmed with anxiety. A woman undergoing menopause might also feel upset, sad or angry in situations that would not have bothered them before.

Overactive bladder or discomfort  

Women can also find they have bladder changes during menopause. If this symptom appears, a woman might find that they need to urinate more often, can’t “hold on” or their bladder might feel full and uncomfortable. Strengthening pelvic floor muscles with Kegel exercises and using a topical vaginal estrogen may help relieve symptoms of incontinence. Hormone therapy may also be an effective treatment option for menopausal urinary tract and vaginal changes that can result in urinary incontinence.

Conclusion

What can you do about your symptoms?  

Understanding the onset of menopause and developing a strategy to manage its symptoms can improve health and lifestyle. If symptoms are becoming more apparent, it is suggested that a doctor can help. A medical professional can tell you about the changes in your body and offer options for managing your symptoms. If you have any concerns or questions about options to manage menopausal symptoms, visit your doctor.